


Connections

by orphan_account



Category: Red Dwarf (UK TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:34:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24689206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Young Arnold Rimmer reflects on his family and relationships while walking through his backyard.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Connections

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is a short fic for dwarfer-mouse on Tumblr, inspired by one of her amazing pieces of art! :)
> 
> This is also my first fanfic ever, so I'm sorry if it's not that good.

Light shined down on Io from Jupiter as seven year-old Arnold Rimmer walked through his backyard. He was deep in thought about his family, which he found after a while wasn’t usually a good idea. 

Still, today he couldn’t help himself.

He was bringing home his report card, and just from his teacher’s look he knew he hadn’t done well. 

He paced around, anxious and defeated, and thought about something he never really allowed himself to think about: the fact that he didn’t feel much connection towards his family. His three brothers were always talking about joining the space corps, becoming officers and captains. When Rimmer’s father was his age he was obsessed with it, and for as long as Rimmer could remember he’s always been encouraging him and his brothers to do the same. 

Yet Rimmer didn’t feel the slightest bit interested in joining up. In fact, if he looked deep down inside of himself, he’d find he’s much more attracted to art in that respect; he always loved it whenever it was involved in a school project. But some part of him felt that maybe there was something wrong with him, just because he didn’t want to join up. He felt like an outcast, always alone, and that was never an option in the Rimmer family.

His already depressed mood worsened when he heard his family laughing inside, no doubt congratulating one of his brothers on their scores. He thought about just lying down on the ground in defeat for the day, but decided instead to head over to the garden. 

He could never explain why he always went to the garden when he felt anxious, he just thought the colors and smells and the general atmosphere calmed him down. 

Rimmer crouched down by a fence enclosing a part of the garden and heaved a long sigh before peering around the corner. He immediately smiled when he saw Dennis, their gardener, tending to some plants while whistling happily. 

Rimmer liked Dennis; he seemed to be the only adult in his life that would ever listen to him. Whenever he had a problem, no matter how small, he knew he could count on him to help. There was just something there that he didn’t have with his family, something that made him feel wanted, protected, validated. 

Thinking about this, Rimmer began to relax, and started to feel something he’d barely felt his entire life: connection.

**Author's Note:**

> [Here is a link to the amazing piece of art!](https://dwarfer-mouse.tumblr.com/post/619639780219715584/a-young-arnold-is-quietly-observing-dennis) :)


End file.
